Wireless networks are often utilized to transmit messages from one location in a network to a destination location in the network. These messages include data to be supplied to the destination location. Mobile devices such as, for example, cellular telephones and wireless personal digital assistant (PDA) are enhanced with new features, such as the ability to consume data services over wireless networks. Mobile devices may roam between different types of wireless networks such as, for example, GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), Wi-Fi, Edge, 3G and so forth. Such wireless networks possess different qualities of service, speed, reliability and cost. With the increase in features and capabilities, some devices may be provided with the capability of consuming services that rely on pervasive messaging software. Pervasive messaging applications may actually function better on different mobile networks because of different network qualities.
Currently, methods do not exist for pervasive mobile messaging applications that are capable of discriminately controlling message delivery based on the network connection of a pervasive device. Current mobile devices may roam between different networks on a regular basis; hence, an application utilizing pervasive messaging must possess the ability to adapt to different networks without encountering problems in the delivery and control of messages through such varying networks. However, varying types of wireless networks have different characteristics such as speed, reliability, or cost. Thus, a pervasive messaging application may not function well, or may not be desirable, with respect to different types of networks. For example, it may not be desirable for an application that is sending relatively large amounts of data, or many messages, to be active while the mobile device accesses a relatively slow or expensive network. As the mobile device roams between networks and the pervasive application attempts to continue activity with respect to each new network, the costs associated may become expensive depending on the network accessed by the mobile device.
The majority of prior art pervasive messaging applications function with clients that are often disconnected, either by utilizing store and forward queues or other standard messaging constructs such as durable subscriptions. Such solutions, however, only detect if a client is connected or disconnected to the network. Some solutions permit network specification; however, these solutions do not permit intelligent policy decisions such as messages to be sent, held, or delayed based on network characteristics.
Based on the foregoing, it is believed that a need exists for an improved method and system for controlling the delivery of messages in a pervasive mobile messaging application based on the type of wireless network currently employed by a mobile device, as described in greater detail herein.